Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-04-08

llCt sat open bdM Hltu az OhC
desk. | saw the prisoner standing
before him. Then it closed with
bang. In another instant the po.
liceman returned.
"Miss, =" said he, "his honor wishes
to see you alone. Our young man
declares the affair a conspiracy
against him, and you will be ques.
toned separately. No offence, sir"
"None," said l. Then l beckoned
TO the policeman apart and slipped
two dollars into his hand. "Don't
lose sight of the young lady until
she reioins me-" l said.
"No, sir; on no account" said
he.
And off they went together.
They were gone ten minutes, and
returned as they went. Miss Ma
tllda had been weeping.
"Tne lady's evidence was all suf-
ficient,r said the man.
"Then they have committed him ~
said |.
ayes, he's committed said Ma
tilda. "Oh, poor fellow. In go
now, Mr.. Martini
led her away.
AS we went | saw the policeman
grinning after us. | couldn't think
why.
We said very little as we walked
on, and we're at the dressmakers in
no time. Now or never would she
battle me. She might escape by the
back door or the roof; how could l
tell. l refused to allow her to 60
into the next room. I stared at her
while madam-all Indignation
measured her shoulders and the
length of her skirt. When she went
behind a screen to be "tried on,S
I watched her little feet below it,
and when Igot her out Ofthe house
l rejoiced.
We caught the train by hairs
breadth. l did not doubt that she
tried to miss it altogether, and all
night watched her, lest at some
station she would even yet elude
me. When, twenty-four hours from
our first meeting, l rang the bell OF
her fathers residence, l was a faded
being, but 1 was triumphant.
walked into her fathers cham.
Der with Matilda on my arm.
"Sir," l said, 81 have done my
duty. Here is Miss Matilda Mid.
dlebury.'
Shall ever forget that momenti
AS l spoke Matilda turned about
with a laugh.
"You've made a mistake" said
she. GA married woman bears her
husbands name. Mrs. Jackson, if
you please. Papa, here is my GER
tificate and this is my ring"
She drew off her glove as she
spoke, and a heavy wedding ring
which she had not worn when we
started, glittered on her finger.
"You we're afraid of the dress.
makers house," she said. "There
was no danger there. I was mar
ried at the police station. You
drove me to that vulgar act, papa.
The theft was a sham. Charles was
the thief. The arrest was a sham.
The policeman was bribed. He
merely ushered Charles into the
presence of the justice of the peace,
escorted me afterwards into the
same room and was witness to the
ceremony"
1.-THE law is very hard upon US
poor young women" she added,
with a menacing glance at me 4;
"and the parchment was very i'm
posing. But those whom God has
joined no man can put asnnder.-
And papa must forgive me before
nv husband comes tomorrow"
l suppose Mr.. Middlebury did
forgive his daughter, for l never
altered bis will, but l went back to
the city that day in such q boiling
rage that if it had been in my pow
er to have disinherited her, Matilda
would now be pennlless.
got over my anger long ago,
and have learned a lesson BY it.
1t is this: A willful woman will
have her way, and no man can stop
her.